Itanagar, Feb. 2: Arunachal Pradesh's longest-serving chief minister and India's second longest, Gegong Apang, today said the frontier state would remain "turbulent" if the Centre did not crack the "whip on its spoilt child".
Only an "active" BJP member today, Apang, 73, blamed the massive inflow of central funds without checks and balances for fuelling frequent political power struggles in the state.
Apang should be knowing because he himself had been a part of several intense power struggles in his heydays - making and unmaking governments at will. He lost power for the first time after becoming chief minister on January 18, 1980 to Mukut Mithi on January 19, 1999, but regained it on August 3, 2003 only to lose it to Dorjee Khandu on April 9, 2007.
"Arunachal Pradesh is the Centre's spoilt child and it is time to crack the whip. It is high time the Centre knows what is going on in the highly sensitive border state of Arunachal. I expect the Narendra Modi government to act tough or else Arunachal will remain a turbulent state. Massive inflow of central funds and its unchecked use is the root cause of our trouble," Apang told The Telegraph.
The present political crisis has been triggered by infighting between the Nabam Tuki and Kalikho Pul camps in the Congress, leading to recommendation of President's rule by governor J.P. Rajkhowa. President's rule was imposed on January 26, but that had been challenged in the Supreme Court which is hearing a bunch of cases relating to the power tussle, including the one on the governor's decision to advance the Assembly session.
Apang said the highest central plan allocation he had received during his 22 years as chief minister (6,940 days at a stretch) was around Rs 700 crore. "This has grown manifold, but even the capital city has not developed," he said.
A secretary-level official told The Telegraph that Plan allocation this year is nearly Rs 12,000 crore.
Apang in his heydays made and unmade governments. He lost power for the first time after becoming chief minister on January 18, 1980 to Mukut Mithi on January 19, 1999, but regained it on August 3, 2003 only to lose it to Dorjee Khandu on April 9, 2007.
"There should be a probe into where have the central funds have gone. There should be checks on elected leaders, bureaucrats and technocrats," he said. Apang said he was himself unseated by the influential lobby which wanted him to approve all power projects. "As an elected leader, I did not allow them or a section of AICC leaders to dictate terms or else it would have harmed not only Arunachal but also Assam and Bangladesh. There were no law and order or financial issues, but still I had to make way. This should also be probed," Apang said.
A section, however, blames Apang for sowing the seeds of power struggle. "He has changed sides at will and ensured defections to remain in power. He got arrested in a PDS scam case. He should shoulder part of the blame," one of them said.
Apang, however, defended himself. "Since the matter is sub judice, I will only say that I was a victim of political manipulation and the court has not passed any order against me so far," he said.
